簡介
這是英國的國歌之一。英國的法律並未規定唯一的國歌，但在大多數場合下使用的是《神佑吾王》（God Save the King/Queen）。Rule, Britannia!出自巴洛克時代的英國作曲家托馬斯·阿恩（Thomas Arne）的歌劇Alfred，1745年在倫敦首演，為劇終的獨唱加合唱。詞作者James Thomson其實卻是個蘇格蘭人，但是他顯然想尋求整個不列顛島的一種統一的形象。這首歌曲日後成為英帝國對外擴張形象的象徵，從19世紀到20世紀初，通過殖民擴張而迅速發展的英國皇家海軍成為世界頭號海軍，也正是印證了其中Britannia rule the waves一句。英國海軍艦艇時常在出港作戰時會懸掛拼寫作Rule Britannia的信號旗。二戰後，英帝國瓦解，皇家海軍迅速衰落，但直到今日，這首歌依然作為維繫不列顛島各個角落的重要紐帶而受景仰。
這個曲調歷來曾被眾多作曲家所引用，比較出名的例子如貝多芬的《惠靈頓的勝利》，還有華格納據此主題所作的一首早期的序曲，他還曾說“這個鏇律的前八個音歸納了不列顛人的全部性格”。
歌詞
When Britain first, at heaven’s command,Arose from out the azure main,
Arose, arose, arose from out the azure main.
This was the charter, the charter of the land,
And guardian angels sang the strain.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
The nations not so blest as thee,
Must in their turn to tyrants fall,
Must in their turn, must in their turn,
To tyrants fall,
While thou shall flourish,
Shall flourish great and free,
The dread and envy of them all.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Still more majestic shalt thou rise,
More dreadful from each foreign stroke.
More dreadful, more dreadful
From each foreign stroke.
As the loud blast that tears the skies,
Serves but to root thy native oak.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
Thee haughty tyrants ne’er shall tame,
All their attempts to bend thee down,
All their attempts, all their attempts
To bend thee down,
Will but arouse thy generous flame.
But work their woe and thy renown.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
To thee belongs the rural reign,
Thy cities shall with commerce shine,
Thy cities shall, thy cities shall
With commerce shine.
All thine shall be the subject main,
And every shore it circles thine.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
The muses still, with freedom found,
Shall to thy happy coast repair,
Shall to thy happy coast,
Thy happy coasts repair,
Best isle of beauty,
With matchless beauty crowned,
And manly hearts to guard the fair.
Rule Britannia!
Britannia rule the waves.
Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.
